Construction is set to commence on Victoria’s largest intermodal development.
National Intermodal announced December last year that works at the Beveridge Intermodal Precinct have begun. This follows the award of the Stage 1 design and construction contract to John Holland.
Stage 1 of the project will deliver rail marshalling and terminal infrastructure directly connected to the Inland Rail south network, with initial capacity to process up to 200,000 TEU per annum.
Operations are targeted for mid-2028, when the terminal will become Melbourne’s first facility capable of receiving 1,800-metre, double-stacked Inland Rail freight trains.
With key approvals now in place and a competitive procurement process completed, John Holland will begin site preparation and construction in the new year.
The precinct is located adjacent to the Inland Rail freight corridor, providing direct connectivity to Sydney and Perth via Parkes and to Brisbane once Inland Rail is completed.
On completion, the Beveridge Intermodal Precinct is expected to deliver a $14 billion economic uplift to Victoria, including around $12 billion across the Whittlesea–Mitchell region. More than 17,000 jobs are forecast to be created at the project’s peak, with National Intermodal targeting 70 per cent of roles for local workers from the Mitchell and Whittlesea council areas.
The project is also positioned as a major contributor to freight decarbonisation.
As the southern endpoint of Inland Rail, the precinct is expected to drive a significant mode shift from road to rail, removing an estimated 167,000 truck trips from roads each year.
This shift is forecast to reduce transport emissions by 12.1 million tonnes of CO₂ over the next 25 years across Melbourne and national freight networks.
Planning for Stage 2 is well advanced and will include expansion of terminal capacity and the development of an associated 200-hectare co-located industrial land precinct. The broader development also includes potential for up to 200MW of renewable energy generation through large-scale rooftop solar across more than 300 hectares of warehouse space, while around 500 hectares of land will be preserved for green wedge and long-term environmental outcomes.
National Intermodal CEO, James Baulderstone, said the project would reshape how freight and consumer goods are moved across Australia while delivering tangible economic and environmental benefits.
John Holland CEO, Nick Miller, said the company was proud to partner again with National Intermodal following the delivery of the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal, adding that the Beveridge project would strengthen the national supply chain while reducing emissions.
Once operational, the Beveridge Intermodal Precinct is expected to play a central role in Australia’s east–west and north–south freight task, supporting higher productivity rail freight and easing pressure on road transport networks.
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